Boeing factory workers go on strike after rejecting contract offer
The Peninsula
Seattle: Aircraft assembly workers went on strike Friday at Boeing factories in Washington, Oregon and California after union members overwhelmingly r...
Seattle: Aircraft assembly workers went on strike Friday at Boeing factories in Washington, Oregon and California after union members overwhelmingly rejected a tentative contract that would have increased wages by 25% over four years.
The work stoppage involving 33,000 machinists will not disrupt commercial flights immediately but was expected to shut down production of Boeing's best-selling airliners, presenting another setback for a company already dealing with a damaged reputation and financial losses.
Boeing stock was down 2.2% in morning trading, bringing its loss for the year so far to 38.9%.
The strike started less than three hours after the regional branch of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said that 94.6% of voting workers had rejected their bargaining committee's recommendation to approve the proposed contract and 96% had supported walking off the job.
Several workers were upset by a recent company decision to change the criteria on which annual bonuses are paid.
